4th Utility is a full fibre broadband provider that focuses on specific buildings, mainly apartment blocks and new-build developments, rather than trying to cover the whole of the UK.
4th Utility broadband is available over its own full fibre network and wholesale networks including CityFibre and Openreach, depending on location.
- Every connection is full fibre straight into the home (FTTP), with no old copper lines involved.
- Many 4th Utility packages – especially on their own network and CityFibre – offer symmetrical download and upload speeds, but some Openreach-based plans come with lower upload speeds
- Broadband speeds range from basic 30Mbps plans to 2.3Gbps in select CityFibre areas.
- 4th Utility offers flexible contract lengths, with 1-month, 12-month and 24-month options.
- Entry-level deals are priced to appeal to budget-conscious users, often beginning around £15–£17.
- High-speed packages, including gigabit options, are often more affordable than mid-tier plans from larger ISPs.
4th Utility Broadband Plans and Speeds
- Social tariff: 30Mbps
- Entry-level full fibre: 30–100Mbps
- Mid-range: 250Mbps
- Faster: 500Mbps
- Gigabit full fibre: 900–1000Mbps
- Multi-gigabit: 2.3Gbps in selected areas
These packages come with both symmetrical and asymmetrical speeds depending on location.
| Plan | Avg Speed | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|
| 150Mbps Full Fibre (24 months) | 150Mbps | £21 |
| 300Mbps Full Fibre (24 months) | 300Mbps | £30 |
| 500Mbps Full Fibre (24 months) | 500Mbps | £26.50 |
| 900Mbps Full Fibre (24 months) | 900Mbps | £29 |
Below is a breakdown of each plan type in the range:
Social Tariff – 30Mbps
The social tariff is available for households receiving benefits such as Universal Credit, Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, or Pension Credit. It includes:
- 30Mbps download and fully 30Mbps upload speed
- Rolling 30-day contract
- Monthly cost: From £13.99
- No standard credit check, and in eligible buildings you usually won’t need to provide supporting documents.
This plan is suitable for smaller households that mainly stream in HD, browse the web, use social media, handle schoolwork, or join regular video calls. The 30Mbps package is lower than 4th Utility’s main plans but remains far better than older ADSL connections.
Full Fibre 30–100Mbps
The lower end of the standard package range includes 30Mbps and 100Mbps options.
- 30Mbps is suited to light usage, such as browsing, HD streaming and basic home-working tasks.
- A 100 Mbps connection easily supports multiple HD streams and large game or app downloads without noticeable lag.
These entry-level plans usually start at around £15 per month during the initial offer period, increasing to around £28–£30 once the introductory term ends.
Full Fibre 250Mbps
A symmetrical 250Mbps plan is quick enough for:
- Streaming in 4K on a few devices at the same time
- Downloading large games and backing up files to the cloud
- Two people working from home with regular video calls and file sharing
Deals for this speed usually land in the low £20s once offers kick in. It’s a solid middle ground — faster than 100Mbps, but not as full-on as 500Mbps.e.
Full Fibre 500Mbps
This is the tier where 4th Utility suits heavier usage — ideal for homes juggling 4K streaming, downloads, and work-from-home demands. A symmetrical 500Mbps speed is suitable if you:
- Have multiple people streaming in 4K or gaming at the same time
- Regularly download large PC or console titles
- Upload large media files to cloud storage or collaboration platforms
Compared to big-brand 500Mbps packages, 4th Utility often comes in cheaper on comparison sites, especially around seasonal offers.
Gigabit Full Fibre – 900–1000Mbps
4th Utility’s gigabit plans offer 900Mbps or 1Gbps speeds, with symmetrical uploads and downloads available in CityFibre-connected locations. You’ll get the best performance using a wired Ethernet connection or a high-spec Wi-Fi setup.
These plans are suitable for:
- busy households where lots of people are streaming, gaming, or downloading at the same time.
- Also ideal for anyone working with large design files or video content, or running smart home setups and personal servers that need fast uploads.
Gigabit packages from 4th Utility are usually cheaper than some 500Mbps plans from BT or Sky when compared on a similar contract length.
Multi-Gigabit 2.3Gbps
In selected CityFibre areas, 4th Utility also offers a 2.3Gbps package which is:
- Ideal for very busy homes with several people gaming, streaming, or downloading at once
- Enough bandwidth for future tech, 8K streaming, or new connected devices
- Upload speeds are fast enough for heavy tasks like cloud backups of large project files or server data
Real-world speeds depend on your setup. The default router won’t hit 2.3Gbps wirelessly, and many laptops and consoles max out at 1Gbps over Ethernet. You’ll need multi-gig hardware to fully benefit from this level of speed.
Router
4th Utility offers the Icotera i4850-25 router to new customers. This device supports dual-band wireless, several gigabit Ethernet ports and symmetrical gigabit speeds over wired connections.
Some users on forums have raised concerns about missing features such as guest Wi-Fi. Advanced home-networking users may prefer to use their own router or mesh system for better control or wider coverage.
If you want to use your own router, 4th Utility can supply a separate bridge device that converts the fibre input to Ethernet. This allows you to attach your own Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7 system behind it. For power users, this is usually the cleanest method: leave the provider’s optical equipment at the wall and handle routing and Wi-Fi with your own gear.
Customer Service
4th Utility isn’t yet included in Ofcom’s official reports due to its smaller scale, so the best indicators of customer experience come from Trustpilot and independent sites. It currently holds an “Excellent” 4.3/5 rating from nearly 7,000 reviews. Users often praise quick installation, responsive support, and symmetrical speeds. Review platforms also note fast fault resolution and reliable upload performance.
Some users mention slow support response at busy times and issues with IP settings, which are common growing pains for smaller providers. On the technical side, full fibre offers strong reliability — fewer faults, stable peak-time speeds, and low latency for gaming and calls. As ever, home performance also depends on Wi-Fi setup and router placement.
Installation
4th Utility is not available nationwide. Like other alt-nets such as Hyperoptic and Community Fibre, it targets specific buildings where it either installs its own fibre or works with CityFibre.
If the building is already connected, an engineer will bring the fibre line into your home and install both the ONT and router. CityFibre-led installs usually take 2–3 hours and require someone to be at home.
If your building is already wired for 4th Utility or CityFibre and an ONT is installed, you’ll usually receive a self-install kit with a router and simple instructions. New installs or conversions from copper will still need an engineer visit.
How 4th Utility Compares With Other Providers
BT and Sky
BT and Sky both use the Openreach full fibre network and offer a wider selection of speeds, including 36–150Mbps FTTC plans. They also offer TV and mobile bundles that 4th Utility does not provide.
However:
- Pricing at 500Mbps and 900Mbps is often higher with BT and Sky
- Upload speeds are usually lower than download speeds
- Contract structures tend to be less flexible
4th Utility offers better value at higher speeds and symmetrical performance across the entire range. If your priority is strong upload capability and the lowest cost for full fibre broadband, 4th Utility is one of the best options. If you want TV bundles or the widest national coverage, BT and Sky are better choices.
Virgin Media
Virgin Media uses its own hybrid fibre-coaxial network alongside its newer full fibre build. Download speeds reach up to 1.13Gbps nationwide, and up to 2Gbps in some areas. Upload speeds, however, are significantly lower on most Virgin plans.
Compared with Virgin Media:
- 4th Utility offers symmetrical speeds (in selected areas), which are much better for gaming, creative work, remote backups, and any task relying on upload
- Virgin Media has wider coverage and offers broadband with TV and mobile bundles
- Virgin’s customer review scores are currently much lower than 4th Utility’s
If you want the fastest possible upload and a simple broadband-only service, 4th Utility has the advantage. If you want an all-in-one TV and broadband package, Virgin Media may be more suitable.
Hyperoptic and Community Fibre
Hyperoptic and Community Fibre are the closest competitors to 4th Utility because all three follow a similar model: own-network full fibre, symmetrical speeds, and a focus on multi-dwelling buildings.
- Hyperoptic: Available to more than one million premises, mainly in city centres, with plans ranging from 50Mbps to 1Gbps.
- Community Fibre: Focused on London and parts of the South East, with speeds up to 3Gbps and some of the most competitive pricing in the UK.
- 4th Utility: Smaller footprint, but a similar speed tiers up to 2.3Gbps, plus flexible 30-day rolling agreements in specific buildings.
In buildings served by multiple alt-nets, the deciding factors are usually price, router quality, and contract terms rather than speed alone.
Is 4th Utility broadband any good?
4th Utility is well suited to:
- Residents in apartment blocks or new-build developments that already have fibre installed
- Households that benefit from symmetrical speeds — such as remote workers, gamers, students, and anyone who uploads large files
- Users who want flexible 30-day rolling contracts when available in their building
- Gigabit customers who want lower monthly pricing than the major ISPs typically offer
It may be less suitable if you:
- Need broadband that will follow you when you move home — Openreach-based providers offer wider geographic flexibility
- Want bundled TV, mobile and landline packages in one place
- Prefer Wi-Fi 7 hardware included as standard
Conclusion
4th Utility is a full fibre broadband provider focused on delivering reliable, symmetrical speeds at competitive prices in buildings where its fibre network is available. Packages range from a £13.99 social tariff at 30Mbps through to multi-gigabit 2.3Gbps plans in certain CityFibre areas.
Availability remains limited, and fixed annual rises of £3 each March apply to 12- and 24-month agreements. However, for households lucky enough to live in a supported building, the combination of symmetrical speeds, attractive pricing, and straightforward full fibre connectivity makes 4th Utility a provider that is well worth considering when comparing broadband deals.